Drop-end gondola car



V. E. SISSON.

-DRoPENn-soNnOLA CAR. APPLICATION FILED IIILY 6, I920.'

11,407,824, 'Patented Feb. 28,1922.

2 SHEETS-sum l.

&\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ V. E. SISSON. DROP' END GQNooLA CAR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. 1920.

Patented Feb. 2s, 192.2;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1`\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ SS ll EN Liz/10111110101 45 lthe lower edge of the gate to draw upward 1o all whom it may concern.'

"PATENT OFFICE.`

UNITED STATES VINTON E. SISSON, 0F CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 WALTER MURPHY, NEW YORK, N. Y. 1

DROP-END GoNDoLA CAR.

Be it knownthat I, ViNfioN E. SissoN, a citizen of the United States, i'esiding at Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drop-End Gondola Cars, of which the following is a specificalOIl; y

lMy invention relates to drop Aend gondola cars, and more particularly to an improved hinged construction for hinging the end gate.

kRailroad cars known as drop end gondola cars arel provided with their drop ends so as topermit the carrying of structures longer than the car, such, for example, as structural steel, telephone poles, and such articles as are usually transported on flat cars. then cars of this type kare used for transporting such articles, the end gates are folded downso as to lie fiat on the floor; and for this reason the end gatesl are hinged to the und'eriiame or end sill. i When the car is nsed'as a gondola, that is with the end gate raised, there Ais an outward and upward thrust on the gate due to the pressure of the contents, especially when consisting of bulk material such las sand and coal. lf the pressure of the cargo against the end is considerable,` as it is Alikely to be, there is a tendency for thegate to bulge. This is undesirable in itself, asthev structure of the gate is weakened and is likely to be given a permanent set which makes itdiiiicult to manipulate. Moreover, any considerable outward bulge tendsto draw up the lower edge of the gate i at the middle over'tlie floor abutment against which the lower edge of the gate usually rests, causing a gap throughwhich bulk material acan leak. f

' The primary objectof my invention is the provision of a hinged construction for end gates which will effectively resist not only the outward thrust on the gate which tends,

to cause the gate to bulge, but also the up ward thrust resulting from the tendency of due to bulging. My inventionA contemplates an arrangement of hinges for the end gates, solconstructed and disposed that they act as tension members to holdA down the lower edge of the gate, thereby checking its tendency to bulge and preventing possible leakage.

My invention consists in the novel arrangements,y constructions and combination Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 2K8, 1922, Application ined July c, i920.

Serial No. 394,049.

ing out the above stated objects and such other incidental objects as will appear froni the following description of the preferredy embodimentof ,my invention, shownjin the drawings annexed hereto.

1n the drawings,Y in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts inthe severaliigures; Fig. l is an end view of a drop end 'gon`Y dola car having the end gate hinged tol the body in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a'partial vertical sectionl on a larger scale, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is' a partial section taken on the lineB- ofFig.1;and *1" 'on takenv on the line dola'car l0 having side walls l1, end gate 12,.

centersills i3, end sill lll, and iiooring'l. Angular members 1G and 17r are bolted or otherwise secured to the inner and outer sur` faces of the vertical edges ofthe side walls andA form vvertical abutm'ents 18 against which the lateral' edges l9vof the end gate rest. A plate' 2O extending across thevc'ar and riveted or otherwise secured to the end sill and having a verticaliiaiige2l provides an abutment for the lower edge of the end gate.l The vertical liange'21V is positioned so as to be flush with the inner surface ofthe angular member 16 and for thispurpose the' lower portions of angular members 16and17y are displaced outwardly yat 22. The vertical and lower abutments are adapted to hold thef gate in place under the pressure of thecargo.

However, as will be hereinafter described, 1j

pressed therein, which extendhorizoib tallyacros's the end gate and merge into ther plane thereofv at their ends so as to provide flat marginal Jortions'for contact with the abutments to prevent theleakage of the con` tents of thecar. The margins of the sheet 2i are benty inwardly at right angles 4to form anges 2G,V 27 and 2S along 'the lateral upper and lower edges. These flanges further reinforce the end gate which thus forms avery strong and durable structure for supporting the weight of the cargo, whether the gate be in upright position or lying upon the floor, as shown in dotted lines at 29 in Figs. 2 and 3. In order to kfurther reinforce the flange 28 when the door is lying` on the floor of the car, I secure an angle 27l thereto, as shown, sonas to provide an extended surface upon which the edge of the gate may rest, and for resisting distortion of the gate under suchv load as may bear upon it.

The end gate is hingedly connected to the body of the car so as to permit it to assume either a standing or a lying position, as pre- Viously described. The hinge construction consists of links 30 and 31, loosely connected to the lower edge of the gate by means of loops 32 and 33 having elongated'openings 34 therein, said links 30 and 31 extending downwardly and in opposite directions, and iiexibly connected to the body or underfram-V i ing; of the car. As herein shown, though obviously this construction depends upon the particular design of car to which my invention is applied, the link 30 isconnected to one ot' the center sills 13 by means of a staple 35 having an elongated opening 36 therein. This staple is located inwardly and .below the point of connection of the links to the gate. The links 31 are flexibly connected to the car by means of staples 37 having elongated openings 38 therein which are shown as secured to the underside of the plate 20. The loops 32 and 33 and the staplesv 35 and 37 are so positioned that-whenthe gate is closed the links 3() and 31 will be placed in tension by the thrust of the lading on the end gate. The openings in the loops and Y staples are made suiiiciently longfso asto allow the links 30 and 31 to move therein when the gate is lowered to its position 29 onf the Hoor of the car. Suitable openings 39and40 are made in the floor 15 of the'car so as to permit the passage of the links 30 and 31 and receivethe loops y32 and 33 when the gateis lowered.

- It will be seen that the links 30 and 31 provide a very effective means for preventingthe lower edge of the gate from rising, and consequently Yiorrchecking the tendency of the end gate to bulge under the pressure ofja cargo. With both the link 30 and the links 31 in tension, the lower edge of the gate is held against any possibility of movement such as would permit bulging. The construction also prevents any possibility of Y theV door rising as a whole.Y The side hinges resist'the upward thrust of the cargo. The center hinge resists both upward and outward thrust. a Y While I have illustrated my invention in connection with fa certain type of gondola car, it is obvious that the principle of my secured to tlie lower edge of the gate and tok the car body which stand at an angle to each other and are yput in tension by the thrust of thejcargo on the'gate.

2. In a drop end gondola car,the combination with tliennderframing of the car, of a drop end gate for the.- car, and means for` flexibly connecting said gate to said under- 'raming, comprising a series of links extend? ing in different directions and secured to the lower edge of the gate andto the underfrain-` ing for holding the lower edge of said gate in place against the outward and upward thrusts of the cargo. n i ,y

In a` drop end gondola car, the combination with the underframing `of the car,` of 4a drop end gate for the car, and means for flexibly connecting said gatevto said,

underfrainin-g, comprising a series of links extending in different directions and secured to the lower edge of the gate and to the underframing so as to hold the lower edge,

of said gate in place against the tendency 'of the same tovbulge and to rise above the jloor oit' the car.

4. In a drop end gondola ear, the com-l bination with the-underframing of the car, of aidrop end gate for the car, and means for iexibly connecting said gate to the said underframing, comprising a tension link and a link connected to the car in advance of the rear edge of the gate which co-operate to h old the lower edge of the door in position against the outward and upward thrusts of the cargo.

5. In a drop end gondola car, the combina-i` L 1 Vion with tlievunderfi aming of the car, of a v drop end gate for the car, land meansf for flexibly connecting said gate to the said unf, derframing, comprising a tension link sel-` cured near` the centern of the lower edge iio thereof, and a link secured near the vertie cal edge of said gate and'attached `to the:

car in advance of the rear edge ofsaid gate, which links co-operate to hold theV lower edge of said gate in position against the tendency to bulge and to rise due to the thrusts of Nvthe cargo.

izo

6: In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the underframing of the car, of

a drop end gate for the car, and means for flexibly connecting said gate to thesaid underframing, comprising a tension link secured neartlie center of the lower edge of saidV gate andr links securedto said lower edgel onopposite sides of said tension link and attached to the'carin advance of thek rear edge of` th'e gate, said links co-operatingto hold the lower edge of the gate in position against the'tenden'cy to lbulge and to rise due to the thrusts of the cargo. Y

7. In a drop end gondola car, the-combination with the center sill and end sill thereof of a drop end gate for the car, and means for flexibly connecting said gate to said car, comprising a tension hinge secured to the lower edge of the gate and to saidcenter sill and hingesv 'secured to the lower edge of said gate on opposite sides of said tension hinge and attached to'said end sill.-

8. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the side walls and underframing ofl the car, of a drop end gate for the car, abutments for said gate secured to the side walls, an abutment for the lower edge of said gate, and means for hingedly connecting said gate to the underframing comprising an inwardly extending link connected to the lower edge of said gate near its center and to said underframing and outwardly extending links on opposite sides of said first mentioned link and connected to the lower edge of said gate and to said underframing whereby the lower edge of the gate is held in place against the tendency to riseand to bulge outwardly.

9. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the center sill and end sill of the car, of a drop end gate for the car, an

abutment for the lower edge of said gate, comprising an angular member extending transversely of the car, and means for hinging said gate comprising a link flexibly connected to the lower edge of said gate near its center and to said center sill and other links connected to the lower edge of said gate on opposite sides of said first mentioned link and extended Aoutwardly and iexibly connected to said end sill.

10. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the center sill and end sill ot `the car, of a drop end gate for the car, an

abutment for the lower edge of said gate, and means for attaching said gate to the car comprising oppositely inclined link members flexibly connected to the lower edge of said gate and to said center and end sills. f

l1. In a drop end gondola car,'the combination with the center sill and end sill of the car, of a drop end gate for the car, an abut--v ment for the lower edge of said gate, and means for attaching said gate to the car comprising link members flexibly connected to the lower edge of said gate and to said center sill and end sill on opposite sides of the plane of the gate.

12. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the center sill and end sillA of the car, of a drop end gate for the car, an abutment for the lower 'edge of said gate, and means for attachingsaid gate to the car comprising a link fiexibly connected to the lower edge of said gate and to said center sill at a--point inside the'planeof the gate and other links flexibly connected tothe lower edge ofsaid door and to said end sill. v

13.- In a drop end gondola car,the`combination with the underframing of the car of a drop end gate for the car and means for hingedly connecting said gate to the underframing comprising a link flexibly connected to the lower edge of said door near the middle and to said underf'raming at a point inside the plane of the gate andother links hingedly connected to said lower edge and to said underframing at points outside the plane of the gate.

14. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the 4underframing of the car of a drop end gate for the car and means for hingedly connecting said gate to the underfraniing comprising aV link flexibly connected to the lower edge of said gate near the middle and to said underframing at a point inside the plane of the gate and other links flexibly connected to said lower edge on opposite sides of said first, mentioned link and to said underfraining at points outside the plane of the gate.

15. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the body of the car, of an end gate, means on the body of the car providingy abutments for the edges of the end gate when the latter is in closed position, and means connecting the gate to the body of the car comprising a hinge forming member engaged with the lower edge of the gate and with the body of the car at a point inwardly of and below the lower edge of the gate, and other hinge forming members engaged with the lower edge of the gate and with the body of the car at points outwardly of and below the lower edge of the gate, which members resist the tendency of the Vgate to rise and to bulge outwardly under the pressure of' the cargo.

16. In a drop end gondola car, the combination with the underframing of the car, of

a drop end gate for the car and means for hingedly connecting said gate to the underframe, comprising a series of elongated loops connected to the lower edgeof said gate, a staple having an elongated opening secured to said underframing at a point inside and below the lower edge of the gate, other staples having elongated openings connected to said underframing at points outside of and below the lower edge of the gate and links connecting said staples with said loops, said staples so positioned as to put the links in tension when the gate is closed and to allow play when the gate is opened.

17. In a drop end gondola ear, the eorn bination with the Center and end sills of the ear, of an end gate and means forrhingedly connecting said gate lto said ear comprising an elongated loop seouredto the inner lower edge of said gate, a staple having an elongated opening therein secured inwardly of and below said loop to the -eenter sill, and a linkeonnecting said loop v'and said staple, similar loops connected similarly to said gate and on opposite sides oi said first mentioned loop, and other staples having elongated openings connected to said end sill be;

low and outwardly of said similar loops and links connecting said last mentioned loops and staples. i

18. A hinge construction forthe end gate of a drop end gondola car, comprising a link liexiblyv connected tothe lowerl edge ofthe` y.gate near its center vand to the oar bodyfat a point inwardly of and below the lower edge of the gate, and other link members flexiblyV connected to the .lower edge of the gate on opposite sides ofthe lirst mentioned leXi-lbleyeonneetion and to the car body at oints below and outwardly of the lower e geoi thegate. i t i 19. A hinge construction for the end gate of a drop end gondola car, comprising a linkl loosely hinged to the gate near its center and to the oar at a point inwardly of andbelovfrA the hinged connection on said gate, and other links loosely hinged to said gate on opposite sides of the first lnamed hinge and to the car at points outwardly of and 'below their respective hinge connections on said gate.A

`vrNToN E. sIssoN. 

